News From Along Route 66, February 2016: Auction of the Launching Pad in Wilmington, Illinois

FEBRUARY 27--  The Gemini Giant, Launching Pad restaurant in Wilmington, Illinois, is to be auctioned in April.  It has been closed for a long time and will be sold as is.  The auction will be held on premises on April 8.

The Launching Pad Restaurant was inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2000.

The giant muffler man/astronaut was, and still is a big photo op for anyone driving along Route 66.

John and Betty Korck opened Dairy Delite on the site in 1960 and renamed it the Launching Pad after it expanded in 1965 (and to take advantage of the U.S. NASA Space Program.  John saw a muffler man at a restaurant convention and had one specially made to look like an astronaut.  They retired in 1986.

Morey Szczecin bought the property in 2007 from Jerry and Sharon Gatties but the restaurant struggled and closed for good in 2010.  They put it up for sale then, asking $650,000 but had no takers.

I am sure glad we had the opportunity to eat there while it was still open.  Great food.  However, it was so close to the Polka Dot in Braidwood, you would be too full to eat at both.

Here's hoping that someone buys it and keeps it as a restaurant and with "The Gemini Giant."

If not, the town of Wilmington should buy the muffler man.

Sad to See It Go.  --RoadDog

WDRV's Sweet Sixteen Album Madness Brackets

WDRV, 97.1 FM in Chicago has now reached the Sweet Sixteen in their classic rock albums matchups.  Not surprisingly, the Beatles have four albums remaining.  Even more surprising to me is that AC/DC has two albums remaining.

Go to www.wdrv.com to vote.

*  I voted for this one.

SGT. PEPPER'S--  Beatles *
FOREIGNER--  Foreigner

NIGHT MOVES--  Bob Seger
RUMOURS--  Fleetwood Mac *

4--  Led Zeppelin
WHITE ALBUM--  Beatles *

BACK IN BLACK--  AC/DC
REVOLVER--  Beatles *

BORN TO RUN--  Bruce Springsteen
HIGHWAY TO HELL--  AC/DC *

AJA--  Steely Dan *
WHO'S NEXT--   Who

ABBEY ROAD--  Beatles *
WISH YOU WERE HERE--  Pink Floyd

BOSTON--  Boston
STREET SURVIVORS--  Lynyrd Skynyrd *

Voting at this moment is for Sgt. Pepper's vs Foreigner and Born to Run vs. Highway to Hell.

Love My Southern Rock.  --RoadDog

The Sky View Drive-In in Litchfield, Illinois, Set To Turn 66 on Route 66

From the March 26, 2016, Springfield (Illinois) State Journal-Register "Age 66 on Route 66: Historic Sky View Drive-In to open April 1 under new owners" by Tamara Browning.

The Sky View Drive-In is the last continuously-operating drive-in on Historic Route 66 in Illinois.

Mike and Debbie Pastrovich are the new owners this year.

The drive-in opened in the spring of 1950 and has been operating every season since then.  Frisina Enterprises was the original owner.  Then it was owned and operated by Norman and Delphine Paul for many years afterwards.

Friday the theater will open with "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "10 Cloverfield Lane."  The new owners will continue to try to show close-to-new movies.

This year they have partnered with Pepsi and every medium-sized cup will be a souvenir one because of its 66th anniversary.

--RoadDog

WDRV's Album Madness Brackets, 2nd Round-- Part 2 "Joshua Tree"

*  Who I'm voting for.

BORN TO RUN--  Bruce Springsteen
DOORS--  Doors *

HIGHWAY TO HELL--  AC/DC *
HOUSES OF THE HOLY--  Led Zeppelin

AJA--  Steely Dan *
FRAGILE--  Yes

WHO'S NEXT--  Who
JOSHUA TREE--  U2 *

ABBEY ROAD--  Beatles *
EXILE ON MAIN STREET--  Rolling Stones

THE CARS--  Cars *
WISH YOU WERE HERE--  Pink Floyd

2--  Led Zeppelin *
BOSTON--  Boston

DARK SIDE OF THE MOON--  Pink Floyd
STREET SURVIVORS--  Lynyrd Skynyrd *

Casting My Vote.  --RoadDog

WDRV's Album Madness, Round 2-- Part 1: "Pet Sounds"

At noon today, the bracket changes to the Beatles White Album versus Styx's Grand Illusion.  Bob Stroud will play two songs from each album.

*  Who I'm voting for.

Physical Graffiti--Led Zeppelin
versus
Sgt. Pepper's--  Beatles  *


Foreigner--  Foreigner
versus
Tumbleweed Connection--  Elton John


Night Moves--  Bob Seger
versus
Rubber Soul--  Beatles  *


Rumours--  Fleetwood Mac  *
versus
Some Girls--  Rolling Stones


4--  Led Zeppelin  *
versus
Scarecrow--  John Mellancamp


Grand Illusion--  Styx
versus
White Album--  Beatles  *


Pet Sounds-- Beach Boys  *
versus
Back in Black--  AC/DC


Revolver--  Beatles
versus
Are You Experienced--  Jimi Hendrix *

Sure Are a Lot of Beatles Songs In There.  --RoadDog

WDRV's Album Madness Brackets-- Part 4: The Cars Versus Fleetwood Mac

* Ones I voted for.

ABBEY ROAD-  Beatles *
DAYS OF FUTURE PAST--  Moody Blues

EXILE ON MAIN STREET--  Rolling Stones
ABRAXAS--  Santana *

THE CARS--  Cars
FLEETWOOD MAC--  Fleetwood Mac *

WISH YOU WERE HERE--  Pink Floyd *
MOVING PICTURES--  Rush

LED ZEPPELIN II--  Led Zeppelin *
GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD--  Elton John

BOSTON--  Boston *
FULL MOON FEVER--  Tom Petty

PYROMANIA--  Def Leppard *
DARK SIDE OF THE MOON-- Pink Floyd

FLY LIKE AN EAGLE--  Steve Miller *
STREET SURVIVORS--  Lynyrd Skynyrd

Winners on Monday.

Who Survived?  --RoadDog

WDRV's Album Madness Brackets-- Part 3: Hotel California vs The Doors

* Ones I voted for.

BORN TO RUN--  Bruce Springsteen *
STICKY FINGERS--  Rolling Stones

HOTEL CALIFORNIA--  Eagles *
DOORS--  Doors

HIGHWAY TO HELL--  AC/DC
ESCAPE--  Journey *

ELECTRIC LADYLAND--  Jimi Hendrix *
HOUSES OF THE HOLY--  Led Zeppelin

AJA--  Steely Dan *
BAD COMPANY--  Bad Company

LAYLA--  Derek & the Dominos *
FRAGILE--  Yes

BAND ON THE RUN--  Wings *
WHO'S NEXT--  Who

JOSHUA TREE-- U2 *
BLONDE ON BLONDE--  Bob Dylan

Who's On the Highway?  --RoadDog

WDRV's Album Madness Brackets-- Part 2 Pet Sounds versus Let It Bleed

*  Ones I voted for.

SCARECROW--  John Mellancamp
SYNCHRONICITY--  Police *

BORN IN THE U.S.A.--  Bruce Springsteen *
GRAND ILLUSION--  Styx

L.A. WOMAN--  Doors *
WHITE ALBUM--  Beatles

LET IT BLEED--  Rolling Stones *
PET SOUNDS--  Beach Boys

QUADROPHENIA--  Who
BACK IN BLACK--  AC/DC *

REVOLVER--  Beatles *
BREAKFAST IN AMERICA--  Supertramp

LED ZEPPELIN--  Led Zeppelin
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED--  Jimi Hendrix *

Are You Experienced?  --RoadDog

WDRV's Album Madness Brackets-- Part 1: Cosmo's Factory Versus The Wall

Voting has started on Chicago's WDRV FM, 97.1 FM for its second annual Classic Album Bracket Challenge.  You can cast your vote for favorite album from each pairing, many of which have already declared a winner, but there are still many more to go, and of course Round 2, Sweet Sixteen, Super 8, Final Four and Champion.

* Ones I voted for.

PHYSICAL GRAFFITI--  Led Zeppelin
VAN HALEN--  Van Halen *

SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND--  Beatles *
TOMMY--  Who

FOREIGNER--  Foreigner
DAMN THE TORPEDOES--  Tom Petty *

TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION--  Elton John
TOYS IN THE ATTIC--  Aerosmith *

COSMO'S FACTORY--  Creedence Clearwater Revival ***
NIGHT MOVES--  Bob Seger

RUBBER SOUL--  Beatles *
THE WALL--  Pink Floyd

RUMOURS--  Fleetwood Mac
DEJA VU--  Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young *

SOME GIRLS--  Rolling Stones
HYSTERIA--  Def Leppard *

Votin' Early and Often--  RoadDog

News From Along Route 66, February 2016: TIF in Springfield, Illinois

FEBRUARY 22--  You've seen Cuba, Missouri's murals from the ground, now you can see them from the air.  Antigravity Photography has used a drone to film the murals from the air.  You can see the video at Route 66 News for this date.

FEBRUARY 25--  Springfield, Illinois, may add a TIF district to a section of Route 66.  This provides a tax increment pricing to help grow business along Peoria Road (Route 66) on the north side of the city.

This would include the site of the former Bill Shea Gas station museum.

--RoadDog

The Big Tap! Winners of Round 1: Sip 'n Dip Lounge

BREWERIES

San Diego's Mission Brewery 60% over New Mexico's Kelly's Brew Pub
Milwaukee's Best Place at Historic Pabst Brewery 67$ over Chicago's Southport Lanes

Pittsburgh's Church Brew Works 61% over Georgia's Jailhouse Brewery
Missouri's O'Malley's Pub 56% over Oakland's Kingfish Pub


SPECIALTY BARS

Montana's Sip 'n Dip Lounge 54% over Portland's Backstage Bar
Oswego, New York's Calaboose Grill 66% over Madrid, Iowa's Flat Tire Lounge

Charleston, S.C.'s McCrady's restaurant 71% over Sarasota, Florida's Bahi Hut
Washington D.C.'s Mr. Henry's 56% over Hot Springs, Ark.'s Ohio Club.

Drink and Vote Often.  --RoadDog

The Big Tap!: Winners of First Round-- Part 1: Club Moderne

The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced the winners of the first round.  Each pairing will face off in Round 2.

DIVES AND LOUNGES

Genoa Bar in Nevada, 61% over Michigan's Ambassador
New York's Irish Haven 54% over New York's Jullus' Bar

California's Townhouse and Del Monte Speakeasy 66% over Red Restaurant and Bar
Montana's Club Moderne 70% over Milwaukee's Bryant's Cocktail Lounge


TAVERNS & PUBS

Indiana's Knickerbocker Saloon 61% over Cleveland's Stone Mad Pub
Maryland's The Horse You came In On Saloon 56% over Annapolis' 1747 Pub

Maryland's Middleton 51% over Delaware's Jessop
Virginia's Gadsby's 68% over Kansas' Hays House

You Can Vote on Round 2 Until Friday.  --RoadDog

The Big Tap!: Brackets for America's Favorite Historic Bars-- Part 6: Bryant's Cocktail Lounge

VENICE, CALIFORNIA
Townhouse and Del Monte Speakeasy-- oldest bar in Venice.

versus

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA
Red restaurant and Bar--1877



MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
Bryant's Cocktail Lounge--  first cocktail lounge in Milwaukee, 1938

versus

ANACONDA, MONTANA
Club Moderne--  Since 1937 and on the NRHP

Hi-De-Ho.  --RoadDog

The Big Tap!: Brackets for America's Favorite Historic Bars-- Part 5: The Irish Haven

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
McCrady's restaurant--  Building dates to 1767

versus

SARASOTA, FLORIDA
Behi Hut-- opened 1954



WASHINGTON, D.C.
Mr. Henry's--  opened 1966

versus

HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Ohio Club--  more than a century old



GREENWICH VILLAGE, NEW YORK
Jellus' Bar--  New York City's oldest gay bar

versus

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
The Irish Haven

I'll Drink To That.  --RoadDog

The Big Tap!: Brackets for America's Favorite Historical Bars-- Part 4: Sip 'n Dip Lounge

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
Kingfish Pub and Cafe--  Local dive bar since 1933.

versus

WESTON, MISSOURI
O'Malley's Pub--  dating to 1842 and located 60 feet underground.



PORTLAND, OREGON
Back stage Bar--  Behind the screen of the 1927 movie palace Baghdad Theater.

versus

GREAT FALLS, MONTANA
Sip 'n Dip Lounge--  Tiki Bar



MADRID, IOWA
Flat Tire Lounge--  bike friendly in a quonset hut.

versus

OSWEGO, NEW YORK
Calaboose Grill--  in a former jail

Winner Gets Drinks.  --RoadDog